Dr. Zudhi Jasser, an expert on Islamism and a former Naval officer, spoke at Duke University after weeks of heat and protest surrounding the event.

He began by saying that we often try to label ourselves as what we’re against, rather than what we’re for, but that American-Muslims should consider something different. It’s been controversial at times, he stated, to be an American-Muslim. And the root cause of terrorism, he believes, is the identity conflict that we have. So American-Muslims needs to decide if they will allow their identities to be a reflection of that conflict or if they will look at the American dream and the opportunities here, and form their identities around that. Dr. Jasser believes that Muslims are more free to practice their faith in American than in any “so-called Muslim country”.

Dr. Jasser argued that what Islam needs today, before we tackle Islamic jurisprudence, is those who will fight for Enlightenment values (the separation of mosque and state, freedom of belief, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly). We need to contain the clerics in the mosques and the universities first, because if they are running the governments, things can’t change. The ideas that fuel radicalization of the Islamist mentality are coming from these Islamic regimes and educational centers, and to say that they are disconnected is absurd.

Sign and share this petition to help end child marriage in the United States. Call on Congress to take swift action in closing the immigration visa loophole that incentives child marriage in exchange for citizenship rights. chng.it/rxyvgwcB66

"The USCIS changes will not stop child marriage — age limits must be set by Congress and states — but officials hope it will help detect instances in which a spouse is in the marriage against her will." theahafoundation.org/new-guid…